Danish Kaneria: Pakistan & Essex spinner loses spot-fixing appeal

Former Pakistan and Essex bowler Danish Kaneria has lost his appeal against being found guilty of spot-fixing.

However an appeal over the leg-spinner's life ban in Britain, imposed by the England and Wales Cricket Board, is still to be heard.

A cricket discipline commission upheld the ECB's ruling that the 32-year-old was guilty of two corruption charges.

"His further appeal against sanction and costs will be heard later," the commission added in a statement.

As well as the lifetime ban, Kaneria, who was found guilty of pressuring former Essex team-mate Mervyn Westfield into spot-fixing during a one-day game in 2009, is facing costs of £100,000.

Westfield pleaded guilty to receiving funds to underperform and was banned for five years, but will be allowed to participate in club cricket after three years.

The 24-year-old seamer also served two months of a four-month jail sentence after a trial at the Old Bailey.

Kaneria's appeal hearing was initially set for December, but was deferred when the ECB failed to persuade Westfield to appear before the committee.

The commission statement also said: "The appeal of Mervyn Westfield against the sanction imposed on him in June 2012 will also be heard at a later date."

ECB chief executive David Collier said: "I welcome the panel's decision.

"I thank the appeal panel for their time and diligence in hearing this case. Corruption has no place in sport and the ECB will continue to be vigilant and adopt a zero tolerance approach in this area."

Because of an agreement between national boards affiliated to the International Cricket Council, Kaneria, who took 261 Test wickets between 2000 and 2010, has been unable to play any form of cricket since he was found guilty by the ECB disciplinary panel last summer.